2020 CHILD OF AMERICA GALA

Kamilah Forbes

2020 Child of America Honoree

Executive Producer, Apollo Theater

Kamilah Forbes is an award-winning director and producer. Since 2016, Ms. Forbes is the Executive Producer for the Apollo Theater, the iconic Harlem institution since the early part of the 20th century.

Ms. Forbes is especially celebrated for her commitment to the development of creative works by, for, and about the Hip-Hop Generation. Under Ms. Forbes’ leadership, the Apollo is presenting a series of commissioned projects called “Apollo New Works” that include dance, theater and musical performances, as well as projects by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Apollo’s master artist-in-residence. In October 2019, Ms. Forbes adapted and directed the world premiere stage adaptation of Coates’ “Between the World and Me” at the Apollo Theater. 

Ms. Forbes is a role model for the Carver community. The arts form one of the pillars of Carver’s educational programming, and the Apollo Theater has its own education programs. The arts are closely linked to almost everything that we want for our children and expect from our schools.

Founded in 1934, four years before a group of volunteers founded the Carver Foundation of Norwalk named in honor of George Washington Carver, The Apollo has been as important as any single institution in sharing black American entertainment and culture to a world audience.

Ms. Forbes has received numerous accolades for her work in the arts, including a Josephine Abady Award, AUDELCO Award nomination, NAACP Image Award, numerous Helen Hayes Award nominations, DC Commission Distinguished Artist Award, Tony Award, and The Mayor’s Arts Award for Emerging Theatre Artist.

The Child of America Gala

Last year, we honored Ms. Theresa Rangel, Principal of Tracey Elementary School. Here are the Moffly photos at ilovefc.com, our Facebook album of photos, and the 2019 gala program journal. Our Keynote Speaker was Tarik A. Brooks, Vice President, Office of the Chairman of Combs Enterprises. Mr. Brooks is a graduate of Howard University and Harvard Business School and he serves on the Carver Board Development Committee.

Carver’s 80th Anniversary Gala welcomed Sean Combs as the Carver 2018 Child of America honoree. Here is a photo album of the gala reception photos, a photo album of the Evening Program photos, and the evening's Program Journal (and here). 

Below is a music video created for that gala by Carver kids and Carver Alumnus and board member Kenneth "FNX" Shuler, joined by Carver alumnae Gabriel Pierre-Louis. 

Other past Child of America Award recipients include Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Roger Wilkins; Geoffrey Canada, former President and CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone; Cynthia Thompson, National Chair of The Girl Scouts Of America; James Comer, the Maurice Faulk Professor of Child Psychiatry at Yale; Helene Gayle, CEO of CARE; The Reverend Dr. James A. Forbes, the Senior Minister Emeritus of The Riverside Church in New York City; Debo P. Adegbile, then the Director of Litigation, NAACP LDF; Dr. Marlen Bodden, Legal Aid Society, and author; Morris “Mo” Pleasure, American composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist; and Charles Burns, President Emeritus, Carver’s Board of Directors.

Carver’s Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Richard Whitcomb, President Emeritus of St. Luke’s School and longtime Carver friend, advocate, and board member